Core i7-720QM vs Phenom II X4 N970

CPU

GPU

Core i7-720QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2009

Phenom II X4 N970

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-720QM

4 / 8

1,658

+0.7%

1,647

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i7-720QM is positioned at rank 1218 and the Phenom II X4 N970 is on rank 388, so the Phenom II X4 N970 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-720QM

#1206

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6448%

#1207

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6354%

#1208

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5833%

#1209

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5807%

#1210

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5753%

#1212

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5556%

#1213

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5327%

#1214

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5319%

#1215

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5176%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

100%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

98%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

95%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

92%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

89%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

89%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

86%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

83%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

73%

#1233

Core Duo T2700

MSRP: $663|Avg: N/A

62%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 N970

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

99%

#376

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

534%

#377

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

527%

#378

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

483%

#379

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

481%

#380

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

477%

#382

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

460%

#383

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

442%

#384

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

441%

#385

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

429%

#388

Phenom II X4 N970

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#391

Core i5-1145GRE

MSRP: $362|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-720QM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Phenom II X4 N970 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.7% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-720QM	Phenom II X4 N970
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($364)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-720QM	Phenom II X4 N970
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($364)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i7-720QM Benchmark Check

Phenom II X4 N970 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

No prediction data available

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-720QM and Phenom II X4 N970

Core i7-720QM

The Core i7-720QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,658 points. Launch price was $546.

Phenom II X4 N970

The Phenom II X4 N970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,647 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-720QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Phenom II X4 N970's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-720QM versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 — a 24% clock advantage for the Core i7-720QM. The Core i7-720QM uses the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-720QM scores 1,658 against the Phenom II X4 N970's 1,647 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-720QM.

Feature	Core i7-720QM	Phenom II X4 N970
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+27%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Clarksfield (2009−2010)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,658	1,647

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-720QM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.